This application is based on applications Nos. 10-212847 and 10-226332 filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer program product for processing print data, which is stored in storage media and is executable by a computer, a method for processing print data, and an apparatus for processing print data.
2. Description of Related Art
High performance printers developed in recent years have such features as the sorting function for grouping printed pages into multiple sets, the finishing function for stapling these grouped sets of pages, and the Nin1 function for printing two or four pages of contents on one sheet of paper.
However, these high performance printers are sometimes unable to take advantage of these advanced features depending on print data they receive. For example, when it is required to make three copies of a set that consists of three pages, i.e., 1-2-3 pages, some of the application software used on personal computers produce and output print data comprising nine pages 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3 in that order as one job of print data. With such a print data without breaks, it is not clear where a set ends. Thus, the high performance printers have no way of applying their sorting or finishing functions.
The problems caused by the print data without breaks defining individual sets also occur in processing the double-faced print or the Nin1 print. For example, if such a set of data consists of odd number pages, e.g., 1-2-3, a high performance printer prints the last page of the first set and the first page of the second set on two sides of a single sheet of paper when the double-faced print is selected, or, on the same side of a single sheet of paper when the 2in1 print is selected.
An object of the invention is to provide a computer program product, a method and an apparatus for processing print data so that the features such as the double-faced print, the Nin1 print may be processed appropriately.
The present invention with the intention of achieving said object is a computer program product stored on memory media for producing print data executable by a computer comprising: a means of producing print data in which one job comprises one set of print data repeated multiple times; and a means of adding data indicating set break to the produced print data.
The present invention with the intention of achieving said object is a print data processing apparatus comprising: a means of receiving print data in which one job comprises one set of print data repeated multiple times; and a means of adding data indicating set break to the received print data.
The present invention with the intention of achieving said object is a method of processing print data comprising the steps of: a) receiving print data in which one job comprises one set of print data repeated multiple times; and b) adding data indicating set break to the received print data.